Simeone on fan squabble: 'I was fighting back'
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Atlético Madrid boss Diego Simeone has claimed he was "fighting back" against insults from supporters before he was shown a red card in his team's 3-2 defeat in their Champions League opener against Liverpool at Anfield.
Simeone was dismissed in stoppage time after Virgil van Dijk scored a winner for the hosts in front of the Kop.
The Atlético manager appeared to get caught up in an altercation with Liverpool supporters on the touchline before he was sent off by referee Maurizio Mariani.
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Addressing the siuation in his postmatch news conference, Simeone said: "Let's talk about what refers to me.
We are in a place where we don't have a right to reply or react, do we?
It's never very good when we react as managers, is it?
Diego Simeone is restrained as he confronts Liverpool fans at Anfield. Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
"We are the people on the stage out there and need to behave well.
But if there are comments against racism or insults, we can get angry and fight back as well, managers, from the place that we are to how we are getting insulted all of the game.
I don't want to get involved with that, I don't want that discussion.
I have got to stay in my place.